Twitter
Facebook
by Christine June
415th Base Support Battalion
My five-year-old daughter and I were racing to get to her scouting meeting, and the doors were closed. Then, I tried to drop off some items at the thrift store before going to see a local-community play, and both doors were closed.
Then, I woke up.
I always feel a little odd about dreaming about work. I have been doing several stories lately on KMC volunteers highlighting National Volunteer Week, which is this week.
When I was interviewing for these stories, it occurred to me that most of these activities and organizations either would not be in existence, limit their services or have to close their doors without volunteers.
I wrote stories on theater, thrift store and outdoor recreation volunteers.
The directors of the two local theater programs here made it clear to me that there would not be live theater if it wasn’t for their volunteers. When they said that, I remembered how thrilled my daughter was when she saw “Beauty and the Beast,” “Snoopy!!!,” and “Pinocchio.” The thought that those memories might not have existed made me a little sad.
The folks working at the thrift stores and outdoor recreation said that they would be open, but with much more limited services than they provide now.
When I first got into this area, I had a low-paying non-appropriated job, and I relied on the thrift stores for clothes, 220 volt-items and other necessities, and also to make some money consigning items that I no longer needed. During that time, I would have been hard pressed to make that paycheck stretch the way I was able to do.
I was surprised when I found out how much outdoor recreation depends on volunteers. I have always had in the back of my mind that when my daughter gets older we are going to take trips with outdoor recreation and the other travel organizations in the area. When that time comes, I hope there will be volunteers.
I was extremely impressed when I interviewed the youth volunteers, Jessica, 18, and Jamilah, 14. Both are polite, mature and know what they want out of life, and volunteering has helped them be ahead of the game. I remember thinking, “I wish I had been that smart at that age.”
And, there are so many other KMC organizations that depend on volunteers. Just think about how many services and activities could just be gone. There are the American Red Cross, Kaiserslautern United Service Organizations, Boy and Girl Scouts of America, spouses and youth organizations, and many others.
My daughter attends Ramstein Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed Club #042, which can be described as a religious scouting organization. It is here because of volunteers, and it is very important to my daughter’s life.
While I was writing this series on volunteers, I often wondered if the volunteers know how thankful I am for the AWANA club here.
And, that’s why there is a National Volunteer Week for us to publicly thank all the volunteers for keeping the doors for services, activities and organizations open.
Thank you to all the KMC volunteers because it really would be a nightmare without you.
